I refer to his courage. I would wish that so courageous a man
should seek his own end, should voluntarily efface himself from the path
of that world-movement which he is powerless to check. In short, I would
have him show himself a samurai. Always his friend, you shall remain so
to the end, Dr. Petrie. I have arranged for this."

He struck lightly a little silver gong, dependent from the corner of
the table, whereupon, from the curtained doorway, there entered a short,
thickly built Burman whom I recognized for a dacoit. He wore a shoddy
blue suit, which had been made for a much larger man; but these things
claimed little of my attention, which automatically was directed to the
load beneath which the Burman labored.

Upon his back he carried a sort of wire box rather less than six feet
long, some two feet high, and about two feet wide. In short, it was a
stout framework covered with fine wire-netting on the top, sides
and ends, but being open at the bottom. It seemed to be made in five
sections or to contain four sliding partitions which could be raised or
lowered at will. These were of wood, and in the bottom of each was cut
a little arch. The arches in the four partitions varied in size, so that
whereas the first was not more than five inches high, the fourth opened
almost to the wire roof of the box or cage; and a fifth, which was
but little higher than the first, was cut in the actual end of the
contrivance.

So intent was I upon this device, the purpose of which I was wholly
unable to divine, that I directed the whole of my attention upon it.
Then, as the Burman paused in the doorway, resting a corner of the cage
upon the brilliant carpet, I glanced toward Fu-Manchu. He was watching
Nayland Smith, and revealing his irregular yellow teeth--the teeth of an
opium smoker--in the awful mirthless smile which I knew.

"God!" whispered Smith--"the Six Gates!"

"The knowledge of my beautiful country serves you well," replied
Fu-Manchu gently.

Instantly I looked to my friend... and every drop of blood seemed to
recede from my heart, leaving it cold in my breast. If I did not know
the purpose of the cage, obviously Smith knew it all too well. His
pallor had grown more marked, and although his gray eyes stared
defiantly at the Chinaman, I, who knew him, could read a deathly horror
in their depths.

The dacoit, in obedience to a guttural order from Dr. Fu-Manchu, placed
the cage upon the carpet, completely covering Sm